dovetail joint

A method of joining two pieces of wood, generally at right angles, in which the pieces to be joined are cut into a series of interlocking fan-shaped "pins" and "tails" that intersect tightly when the pieces are connected. A dovetail joint provides exceptional strength for two reasons: first, the angle of the pins restricts movement of the wood pieces to a single direction across the joint; and second, the pins and tails create a large surface area for glueadhesion.